Bride Rovers Wearing Red of Cork. 

It might be nearly Christmas but in this topsy turvy year the GAA playing season at Inter county level is still in full flow. Last weekend we had the Camogie and Hurling Finals and this weekend coming the Football and ladies Football Finals. AS well as all those games the under 17 and under 20 Competitions have been refixed in Munster. For Bride Rovers Club it's an amazing honour that in December 2020 Club players are or were involved at under 17, under 20 and Senior Ladies Cork teams. Last weekend Adam Walsh was on the Cork Under 17 hurling panel for the Munster semi final against Limerick. Under the guidance of team trainer Donal Og Cusack this Cork side had a good win over Clare in the first round back in early November. Unfortunately on Saturday they came up against a very strong Limerick side who have now advanced to the Munster Final v Tipperary. Adam Walsh will be underage for this grade again next week so hopefully he will be involved again in 2021. On Saturday evening last then the Cork Under 20 hurlers took on Limerick in their provincial semi final and Eoin and Brian Roche both lined out with the Rebels. The game ended in a draw but Cork won after extra time. Cork will meet either Tipp or Waterford in the Munster Final on December 23rd so we wish Cork the very best. Next Sunday Katie Quirke and Sarah Murphy are on the Cork Senior Ladies Football panel when they take on Dublin in the final. We wish Katie and Sarah all the best and also good wishes to Fermoy's Ashling Hutchings who will be on the Cork team. Dublin are going for 4 in a row but Cork are in with a great chance. 

Not home for Christmas 

Next Sunday morning at the ungodly hour of 7am a Bartlemy girl and her friend from Fermoy will be getting up in darkness faraway from home.  Katie Connor and Danielle O Regan are both living in Vancouver in Canada and because of the covid restrictions they wont be home in Ireland for Christmas. The two girls are playing members with St. Finians Ladies Gaelic Football Club in Vancouver but on Sunday they'll be shouting for Cork. 'Bride Rovers and Fermoy and Cork Abú' 

Lotto 

 The Lotto results for December the 8th last were as follows. The four numbers drawn were 3,6,7 &15 and there was no winner of the jackpot of €20,000. The winners of the €30 prizes were James O Donovan,  Tom & Nellie Batty, Canon Michael Leamy, Rebecca Howard,  Michael O Donovan. Thanks to each and everyone who has supported the Weekly Draw over the years. Please keep supporting the Lotto by buying a ticket from Club Members, in local business outlets or online at http;//briderovers.ie  On last Tuesday night as well as the Lotto Draw we had the Club 100 Bonus Draw with €3000 in prizes and also a raffle for 41 prizes. We will have the full results next week. 

Down Memory Lane 

The year 1985 was a momentous one for the Bride Rovers Club with the opening of our playing pitch Pairc na Bride. At the AGM in January a debt of £22,291.42 was recorded but by years end this was reduced by over £5000. The Club was plunged into sadness on March 7th when Tom Barry NT, 'the Master' died. He was the first Club Secretary in 1928 and maintained a lifelong involvement with the Club as well as serving as an East Cork Board Officer and a Cork Selector. He was the person who really oversaw the big push in 1983 and 1984 to get the pitch completed. It was sad that he died just two months before the Official Opening on June 2nd. The Pitch was blessed by Fr Seanie Barry and officially opened by Con Murphy, Chairman of the Cork County Board and former GAA President. It was a great occasion with a huge crowd present to see Cork defeat Offaly in a Senior Hurling Challenge game. Cork were the defending All Ireland Champions and went on to win the Munster Championship but lost to Galway in the semi Final. Offaly came through Leinster and won their 2nd Title when defeating Galway in the Final. Over the years I've often met Offaly great Pat Delaney and he recalls with fondness their visit to Rathcormac in 1985 and the great sing song they had after the game in Vera Barry's.  

In the East Cork Junior A Grade hurling championship we lost to Aghada by 2 11 to 1 16. This game marked the end of Fr Seanie Barry's 20 year playing career with the Club. Maurice Hazlewood won a Munster Hurling Championship with Cork Minors. Our Junior Hurlers drew the final of the Ballynoe Tournament v Watergrasshill and defeated Ballyhooley in the Kilworth Final by4 10 to 2 12. The winning team was P.Hoskins T Kearney L Cahill G O Flynn N. Murphy M Hazlewood V O Connor P Collins T Mulcahy C Johnson JA Murphy D Mulcahy, J. Murphy D Ahern D Johnson B O Riordan. 

Club Annual General Meeting.

 The Club AGM  will be held on Monday  January the  11th at 8pm on what is called an 'On Line Platform' .Due to Covid 19 it will not be possible to hold an indoor AGM in the manner we are used to . The Secretary's report will be published on the club website www.briderovers.ie  for viewing from Sat 9th. Due to the new format for the AGM any questions relating to relevant matters will have to be submitted to the Runai, secretary.briderovers.cork@gaa.ie in advance of the meeting.  WE will have further information on this procedure and how it will work in the coming few weeks. Nomination forms for the different Officerships  were  sent to all members this week. Any member who wishes to submit a Motion can do so.  

NEW CORK GAA MEMBERS DRAW. 

 'Rebels Bounty' is the new name for the Cork GAA Annual Members Monthly Draw. It was to have had a gala re-launch in October but unfortunately along with so many other events this function had to go.  Rebels' Bounty will instead be launched in late 2020 / early 2021 and a meeting of Cork County Board, which will be devoted solely to this item, will be held when circumstances allow. The Draw is still a monthly draw costing €10 a month to enter or a once-off payment of €100. This year there will be 30 prizes each month. The minimum First Prize each month will be €20,000 with prizes of €25,000 in December and April and in August 2021 the first prize is €100,000. Bride Rovers Club is encouraging members, players and supporters to join the Draw. Tickets can be had from Club Officers or contact our Runai Daniel Lane at 087 2070100. A Ticket in the Draw would make a super Christmas present and give a chance to a friend or family member to win for twelve months. 

LIMERICK WIN.

 For the second time in three years Limerick are All Ireland Senior Hurling Winning the National H League, Munster Championship and now the All Ireland is a mark of great consistency in this crazy year. A December All Ireland final but it made no difference to the Shannonsiders last Sunday. I suppose 31 counties would have loved to see Waterford win after 61 years but it was not to be. This writer was lucky to be present at Sundays game 'in the line of duty' and it was a strange atmosphere in a sunny Croke Park. The Joe McDonagh Cup between Kerry and Antrim was a very competitive game. Twice Antrim pulled away but back came Kerry on both occasions and in the end Antrim held out for a great win. The water break in each half is a new introduction this year because of the covid restrictions. I saw Antrim do an unusual thing on Sunday. For the water breaks Antrim divided into two distinct groups. At one end of the pitch the Defenders and goalie came together while the forwards gathered at the other end. It was great win for Antrim trained by former Tipp goalie Darren Gleeson. Back in1970 Cork's Justin McCarthy coached Antrim to an Intermediate All Ireland. I remember the 1989 All Ireland Senior final when Antrim were beaten by Tipperary. I was in Dublin the night before that Final and 'The Green Glens Of Antrim' was sung everywhere - I sang a verse last Sunday in Croke Park! What about Limerick? Do they play 'on the edge' like Kilkenny have done for years.? Well  they have their second title in three years and few would bet against them winning a few more. The Boylan brothers  Jerome and Conor are sons of Dr Dave, a native of Dungourney. The boys are players with Na Piarsaigh -their great grandmother was Woods from Bartlemy. Waterford tried their very best but on the day met a superior side but in fairness to Waterford they have brightened up this Autumn/Winter Championship with their stylish hurling. Mossy O Sullivan is a happy man and I spoke to a beaming Pat Heffernan on the way down from Dublin on Sunday night. 

Want To Join the Bride Rovers GAA  Club? 

Are you a hurler, footballer, camogie or ladies football player, builder, painter, flag-maker, gardener, ticket seller, IT specialist, singer, poet, dancer, Quiz fanatic, carpenter, bookbinder, plasterer, floor sweeper, writer, lawn-cutter or just a willing and enthusiastic community worker? Well if the answer is yes then The Bride Rovers GAA Club Needs You.. We are always anxious to get new members to help out with the running of the Club. Maybe you could give an hour a week to help with some aspect of the Club's varied and enjoyable activities. Many hands make light work so if you want to help out with any aspect of our Club you will be very welcome indeed. If you are interested please contact our Club Runai Daniel Lane at 087 2070100 

CAN MAYO WIN? 

On Saturday night coming Dublin seek 6 All Irelands in a row when they face mayo in the Final. For Mayo, seeking a first title since the 1950's, it will be a major test. Dublin have simply steamrolled all opposition in recent years but I suppose they will be beaten some day -or night! 

SYMPATHY. 

We extend sympathy to the relatives of the late Joan Cotter of Ballybrowney, Rathcormac who died earlier this week. The last member of her family, Joan was in her 99th year and had strong GAA links. Her mother was Ellen Kelleher, sister of Jamesey Kelleher hurler and horseman who captained Dungourney to All Ireland success. Joan was sister of the late Pete, Eileen, Cerena and Liam We extend sympathy to Joan's nephew Pat and nieces Ita and Helen and her other relatives. May she rest in peace. 

BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print & Design, Veolia Environmental Services.